GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Joakim Noah was seeking help to overcome injuries that wrecked his first season in New York and turned to an over-the-counter supplement.
That decision “backfired,” Noah said Tuesday.
It led to a 20-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, preventing Noah from ending a disappointing year on a positive note.
“This was a tough moment, but I’m going to learn from it,” Noah said. “I tried to take a supplement to help me with everything I’ve gone through. I’ve gone through a lot of injuries, and I tried to take something to help me and it backfired.”
Noah returned to practice Tuesday following Feb. 27 surgery to remove a loose body from his left knee. The knee injury came after a hamstring injury he was trying to recover from around the All-Star break.
All told, he managed just 46 games in the first season of a four-year, $72 million contract.
“I wanted to do something to help myself, help my body and like I said it backfired on me,” Noah said. “I tried to take the right measures when I was taking the supplements and it wasn’t enough. …
“It’s a tough lesson to learn, but everything in life has its purpose. I know that right now it’s a tough situation to be in, not being there with my teammates out there on the court. But I’m going to take this suspension like a man and move on.”
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